Netherlands National Drug Monitor - Research and Documentation ...
Netherlands National Drug Monitor - Research and Documentation ...
Netherlands National Drug Monitor - Research and Documentation ...
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3 Cocaine<br />
Cocaine works as a stimulant. Many cocaine users are able to fit cocaine into their lives<br />
without developing problems; they use cocaine for recreational purposes. However, the<br />
drug can lead to addiction.<br />
Cocaine can be used in a variety of forms (Boekhout van Solinge, 2001). In powder<br />
form, (cocaine hydrochloride) cocaine is usually snorted in the <strong>Netherl<strong>and</strong>s</strong>, <strong>and</strong> rarely<br />
injected. Occasionally it is smoked like a cigarette. Street names for this kind of cocaine<br />
include ‘coke’, ‘flake’, ‘c<strong>and</strong>y’, ‘nose c<strong>and</strong>y’ ‘o.k.’, ‘okey doke’, ‘AKA’, ‘Vitamin C’,<br />
‘white lady’ <strong>and</strong> ‘coca puffs’. Among problem hard drug users, the base form of cocaine<br />
(‘crack cocaine’) is the most popular. Base cocaine is obtained by heating a solution of<br />
cocaine powder <strong>and</strong> a base substance, such as natrium bicarbonate or ammonia. It is<br />
smoked in a little pipe or tube or inhaled from aluminium foil. Both methods are known<br />
in this study as smoking, unless stated otherwise. Crack owes its name to the crackling<br />
sound it emits during the heating process. In the 1980s the users made their own base<br />
cocaine. Nowadays it is sold ready for use on the streets.<br />
The data below apply to all forms of cocaine, unless stated otherwise.<br />
3.1 Recent facts <strong>and</strong> trends<br />
The main facts <strong>and</strong> trends concerning cocaine in this chapter are:<br />
• In the school-going population aged 12-18 in mainstream education, ever use of cocaine<br />
declined slightly between 1996 <strong>and</strong> 2007. Current use remained stable (§ 3.2).<br />
• Pupils attending REC-4 schools who are receiving special education more often use<br />
cocaine than their peers in mainstream schools <strong>and</strong> other forms of special education<br />
(§ 3.2).<br />
• After ecstasy, cocaine is the most popular hard drug among juveniles <strong>and</strong> young<br />
adults in the social scene (§ 3.2).<br />
• With regard to recent use of cocaine, the Dutch score below average compared to<br />
other European member states (§ 3.5).<br />
• The slight drop between 2004 <strong>and</strong> 2006 in the total number of clients seeking<br />
treatment from addiction care for cocaine use did not continue into 2007; however<br />
there was a further slight decline in 2008. There is a difference in trends for clients<br />
with a primary snorting problem (increase) <strong>and</strong> those with a primary crack problem<br />
(decrease) (§ 3.6).<br />
• Cocaine use features strongly in drug-related accidents in hospital emergency departments<br />
(§ 3.6).<br />
3 Cocaine<br />
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